Vertical pipe system for manufacturing chipped ice



y l Feb. 17. 1925. 1,526,584

J. M G. BEATH VERTICAL PIPE SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING CHIPPED ICE Filed Sept 4. 1923 av /mi Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

QTOHIN' HQGOUGH BEATH, OF EAGLE ROCK, CALIFORNIA.

VERTICAL PIPE SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING OH'IPPED ICE.

Application filed September 4, 1923. Serial No. 860,960,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MCGOUGH BEATH, a citizen of the United States, residin at Eagle Rock, in the county of Los i Ange es, State of California, have invented a new and useful Vertical Pipe System for Manufacturing Chi ped Ice, of which the following is a speci cation.

My invention relates to ice making and O refrigeration.

The object of my invention is to produce ice that is purified in the making and is produced at low cost. On rows of suspended vertical pipes in which a volatile refrigerant flows, I produce columns of-pure, dense and brilliant ice from impure, raw water flowing intermittently down the pipes and ice formed thereon in excess of the quantity congealed. The impurity contained in the water is eliminated in the act of freezing and conveyed to the tank below by the excess water. I

When of the required size, the ice columns are discharged from the pipes by injecting from the condenser at condensing pressure. Thus freed from the pipes, the columns slip down and are bursted to fragments in passing the foot bends. Falling into the tank, the broken ice forms a stratum 1 on the water. floats to an elevator, and is liftedfrom the water as required.

When refrigerants are vaporized while flowing in pipes, I find they are throughout their mass 1n a foaming condition and vaporize as freely in vertical pipes as they do in inclined or horizontal pipes. Furthermore, I find the extended vertical freezing surface, down which the water flows in my system, provides the most favorable conditions for eliminating impurity held in suspension or solution, the pure water only congealing on the pipes, while the impurity goes with the excess water to the tank below.

The intermittent application of the water tothe freezing columns tends sin-cad evenly from head to foot.

I refer ammonia as refrigerant, vaporizing itin the congealing columns at a temperature above 25 degrees F. The high back pressure and temperature with direct application of the water gives my system great advantage over the low congealing tem erature and pressure. combined with" the indirect congealing methods now in use.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the songealer.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the congealer.

Fig. 3 is an enlar ed side view of a congealing column foot end.

Fig. 4 is a view of a bar for removing obstructions.

A side view of one of the four coils composing the congealing unit is presented in Figgire 2, the central part out out on the line a-- The power required for my automatic intermittent distributor is supplied (as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3) by the weight of the water distributed. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the container (1) and its attached tubes (9 and 10) oscillates in the arcs 23 and 4-5 on bearings 6 and 7 and di Vided by the central partition 8. Four hori- 75 zontal spraying tuber branch at right angle from each side of the larger tubes 9 and 10.

As is shown in Figure 2, the right division is filling with water from pipe 11, and the left divlsion is spraying water on the three rows of columns at the left. When the right division is filled to the required point, its weight overbalances the empty left and it falls to the stop bar (2-4), while the left rises to 3, and is in position for receiving the falling water from pipe 11 while the'right is spraying over the three rows of columns to the right. Thus the alternate intermittent spraying continues. The valve 34 adjusts the quantity of water, and the elevation or depression of the bar 2-4 adjusts the quantitv discharged at each stroke of the distributor.

The platform (Figures 1 and 2) is supported by a joist between each row of columns. The cast iron washer. on which the inlet and outlet columns rest has its bottom grooved for the passage of the sprayed water to the column pipes. The central columns are supported by the timber under 100 the return bends (Figure 2). The platform floor (2 inches thick) is curbed (31) 6 inches high, and each column is curbed 1 inch high. holding the sprayed water and turning to each pipe its quota.

The machinery being in operation and the refrigerant distribution pressure adjusted by the valve 18, the freezing may continue until the columns nearly touch each other. In discharging the columns, inlet refrigerant valve 18 and outlet gas valve 32 are closed, and the valve 33 opened, allowing as from the condenser to fill the congealing pipes, producing by-its condensation a temperature throughout the coils that frees the ice columns from the-pipes. In passing the foot bends the columns are reduced to fragments and form a stratum on the Water of the tank.

7 small plug is screwed in the bottom of each bend. The congealing pipe columns may be of any convenient height up to 60 or 70 masses feet. I refer standard pipe for the vlower c0 umns, one inch extra strong for the higher" columns. 1

I claim:

Ice making apparatuscomprising a pluralityv of vertically. suspended conduits having head and foot return bends forming coils in which a refrigerant flows, means for circulating the refrigerant, means for flowing waterdown the conduit, means for freeing the ice from the conduit, means at the foot of-each conduit for breaking the ice as it slips down when freed from the conduit, all of which is substantially as described and represented.

1 JOHN MCGOUGH BEATH; 

